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New Survey Shows Impact of Gambling Advertising on Customers

Published

5 years ago

June 24, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published its latest survey which reveals the impact of gambling advertising on customers. The survey included data from 6258 respondents.

Of the 4,566 respondents who had gambled in the past 12 months, 34% said that a post or media had prompted them to spend money on a gambling activity in that period.

Free bets or money to spend with a gambling company was the most likely to prompt a customer to engage in gambling, with 22% of gamblers reporting doing so.

Advertising on social media and TV had each prompted 15% of gamblers to gamble in the last 12 months. Direct marketing, sports sponsorships and newspaper advertising prompted 9%, 8% and 7%, respectively.

The Gambling Commission also asked those who had reported seeing gambling ads how, if at all, those ads had changed their gambling habits.

Of those respondents who had reported seeing traditional advertising from gambling companies – such as television or print ads – 52.8% said that the advertising had not changed the amount that they gambled.

Meanwhile, 13.0% said such ads prompted them to start gambling for the first time, while 16.3% said these traditional ads prompted them to increase the amount that they gamble.

A further 14.7% were prompted to restart gambling after taking a break from the activity because of these ads. Meanwhile, 10.1% said the ads prompted them to change what they gambled on or try a new form of gambling.

Free bets or money to spend with a gambling company was shown to be the most effective new customer acquisition method, as 25.9% of those who had gambled in the last 12 months and seen posts or advertising said that free bets prompted them to start gambling for the first time.

Free bets also led to 18.6% of viewers restarting gambling after taking a break.

Of the advertising methods examined, the Gambling Commission said free bets had the lowest rate of responses saying they had not changed the amount that respondents gambled, at just 35.2%.

Direct marketing via email, text message or push notification appeared to be more effective with existing or lapsed customers, however. It was cited by most respondents as prompting them to increase the amount they gambled, at 21.8%. It was also the method that prompted most people to restart gambling after taking a break, at 19.6%.

The figures also showed that 85% of those surveyed reported having seen any gambling advertising or sponsorship. In total, 83% reported having seen advertising and 78% having seen sponsorship.

These figures are down on 2019’s survey which showed 87% of people had seen advertisements or sponsorships, with 86% seeing advertisements and 82% sponsorships.

Television advertising was the most widely seen format for gambling advertising, with 76% of respondents reporting seeing this.

Gambling sponsorships on TV, radio or podcasts were the next most common format for people to see, at 67%. Other common places to see gambling advertising or sponsorships were on sports merchandise (60%), in sports venues (59%) and online outside social media (56%).

The least common reported place to see a gambling advertisement was via direct marketing, either by email, text message or push notification, which 37% of respondents reported seeing.

The data showed that young people are more likely to see gambling advertising online, with 77% of people aged 18 to 24 saying they had seen gambling ads online, compared to 55% of those 65 and over.

Of those surveyed, most (68%) said they use social media but don’t follow gambling operators or companies. Meanwhile, 17% said they do not use social media or streaming platforms, and 16% said they do follow or watch gambling companies.

EEGaming.org

Welcome to the Team: Joe Ewens Joins EEGaming.org

Published

16 minutes ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

welcome-to-the-team:-joe-ewens-joins-eegaming.org

Some partnerships take a few emails. Some take a few years. And then there are the ones that quietly build momentum from 2017… until one day you look at each other and say, “Alright, let’s do this properly.”

We’re proud to officially welcome Joe Ewens to the HIPTHER team, where he will play a leading editorial role at EEGaming.org – our premier B2B platform and the definitive Intelligence Hub for industry leaders.

If you’ve been around the European gaming ecosystem for more than five minutes, you already know Joe. Sharp analysis. Direct questions. No fluff. Just substance. The kind that makes boardrooms slightly uncomfortable, in the best possible way.

What Joe Will Be Doing

At EEGaming.org, Joe will:

Deliver weekly articles and breaking news
Cover European market insights, trends, and jurisdictional analysis
Provide structured, forward-looking commentary on regulatory and commercial developments

In short: more signal, less noise.

But that’s not all.

Joe will also take a central role in our iGaming Exchange virtual meetups, where he will:

Act as host and moderator
Bring the latest discussion topics and jurisdictions to spotlight
Help elevate conversations beyond the usual “market update” routine

Expect sharper debates. Deeper dives. Fewer recycled slides.

EEGaming.org continues to evolve as the intelligence layer within the HIPTHER ecosystem—bridging regional heritage with global innovation. With Joe on board, that bridge just got a lot stronger.

We’ve known each other since 2017. We’ve shared panels, conversations, debates, and probably a few industry déjà vu moments along the way.

Now we build together.

Welcome to the team, Joe.

Let’s raise the standard.

The post Welcome to the Team: Joe Ewens Joins EEGaming.org appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Kiron Interactive

Kiron Interactive appoints Ramiro Atucha as Board Advisor for LATAM expansion.

Published

16 minutes ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

kiron-interactive-appoints-ramiro-atucha-as-board-advisor-for-latam-expansion.

Kiron Interactive has appointed industry veteran Ramiro Atucha as a Board Advisor to support the company’s expansion into the Latin American market.

Ramiro, founder of Leander Gaming and Vibra Gaming, most recently established Atucha Strategic Advisory, which advises technology and gaming businesses on regional growth, market development, and long-term positioning.

In his new role at Kiron Interactive, Ramiro will leverage his extensive LATAM experience to guide the leadership team, offering strategic insights and regional expertise as the company continues to expand its footprint in Latin America.

Leadership Perspective

Steven Spartinos, Co-CEO at Kiron Interactive, commented:

“Latin America is an important growth region for Kiron. Ramiro brings valuable regional perspective and experience, and we are pleased to welcome him as a senior advisor to our leadership team as we continue to build our presence across LATAM.”

Ramiro Atucha, Founder of Atucha Strategic Advisory, added:

“Kiron has a strong global reputation and a clear long term vision. I am pleased to support the board and leadership team as they continue to explore and develop opportunities in Latin America.”

Strengthening LATAM Strategy

The appointment underlines Kiron Interactive’s commitment to strategic growth in Latin America, combining its global expertise with local insights to enhance market presence, player engagement, and long-term regional success.

With Ramiro’s guidance, Kiron aims to accelerate its LATAM expansion, tapping into emerging opportunities while continuing to deliver innovative virtual gaming experiences across the region.

The post Kiron Interactive appoints Ramiro Atucha as Board Advisor for LATAM expansion. appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

2026 BiG Africa Summit Awards

QTech Games wins Best Innovation at the 2026 BiG Africa Summit Awards

Published

16 minutes ago

February 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

qtech-games-wins-best-innovation-at-the-2026-big-africa-summit-awards

QTech Games, a leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has won the Best Innovator Award (Shining Savannah Award) at the 2026 BiG Africa Summit in Gaborone, Botswana. The award was presented during a gala ceremony at the Grand Palm Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, where QTech Games beat strong competitors, including BetConstruct, Skilrock, and GlobaLab.

The Shining Savannah Award celebrates “groundbreaking innovation and technological innovation,” recognising companies that have delivered tailored solutions for the African iGaming market while excelling in user engagement and sustained growth over the past 12 months.

QTech Hybrid: Bridging Retail and Digital Betting

QTech’s innovation highlighted at the awards is QTech Hybrid, which enables players to seamlessly switch between traditional retail and digital play. A successful rollout across Soccabet’s 200-outlet network in Ghana demonstrates how the platform combines an AI-powered casino lobby (QTech Play) with a retail management system and an integrated Agent Management System (AMS).

The system simplifies transactions for operators and players alike, enabling deposits, withdrawals, and gameplay from both in-store and personal devices, helping operators scale their brick-and-mortar networks online.

Celebrating Excellence in African iGaming

The BiG Africa Summit recognises outstanding contributions to the continent’s iGaming and sports betting industry, from operators and technology innovators to regulators and distributors. The event showcases those who ensure a rich, engaging, and locally relevant gaming experience across Africa, the world’s second-most populous continent.

QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said:

“We’re delighted to have bagged another notable award for the best overall innovation in Africa over the past 12 months. Being shortlisted in such good company was already a feather in our collective cap, but victory provides the ultimate coup, validating our huge and ongoing growth in Africa with innovations like QTech Hybrid and QTechLabs.

“This win is testimony to our diligent team at QTech, and to the ever-evolving group of innovative suppliers that our offering represents. It’s a real team effort. We’ve made our name as the go-to aggregator for emerging markets and we remain committed to rolling out top-class content and retail innovation that drives new revenues for our worldwide partners across Africa and beyond.

“Being recognised for our innovation, impact and bottom-line results – to name just a few of the key judging criteria – will only embolden our expansive African mission. It’s also indicative of QTech’s broader strategic direction across emerging markets, where we are setting the gold standard and defining the future of the online casino industry, with an established reach throughout and outside of Africa.”

The judging panel added:

“This year, the calibre of nominations was exceptional, making the selection process extremely competitive. Being recognised not only as a finalist but also the market leader in Africa for its relentless innovation in our prestigious Shining Savannah category, highlights the outstanding impact and achievements QTech Games has made within the industry.”

QTech’s Commitment to Emerging Markets

The award underscores QTech Games’ mission to expand retail and digital iGaming solutions across Africa and other emerging markets, providing operators with innovative tools that enhance player engagement, streamline operations, and support sustainable growth.

By combining AI-driven personalisation, seamless retail-to-digital integration, and advanced management systems, QTech is shaping the future of the online casino and sports betting industry across Africa.

The post QTech Games wins Best Innovation at the 2026 BiG Africa Summit Awards appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.